Case Study

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Managed Support and System Optimisation

How a Clinical Research Organisation Improved Financial Processes and System Adoption with Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations

A Crux of the Case Story

This case study shows how a growing clinical research organisation, operating in a highly regulated environment, moved beyond basic system usage to achieve meaningful operational efficiency. After implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, the organisation faced challenges in process alignment, automation, and support responsiveness.

By partnering with Dynamics Square, it began to refine its financial workflows, reduce manual dependency, and build a more reliable and scalable system environment.

Business Overview

This organisation operates within the clinical research and life sciences sector in the United Kingdom, where regulatory compliance, financial accuracy, and process efficiency are critical to daily operations. Its work involves managing complex financial structures alongside project-based activities, requiring systems that can support both precision and flexibility.

The organisation implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations in a cloud-based environment towards the end of 2023. The system covered core modules including finance, human resources, profit and loss tracking, and purchase requisition processes.

With a team of over 125 users, including a finance function of approximately 13 to 14 core users, the organisation manages a steady volume of financial transactions, processing more than 400 invoices each month. Despite having a modern ERP system in place, the business soon recognised that implementation alone was not enough to achieve operational efficiency.

To move forward, the organisation began seeking a support partner who could not only maintain the system but also enhance how it was used.

What are The
Business Challenges

Following the initial go-live, several operational challenges became evident. These challenges were not related to system capability, but rather to how processes were structured and supported.

Inefficiencies in project invoicing workflows created delays and additional manual effort

Issues with foreign exchange rate handling affected financial accuracy and consistency

A heavy reliance on spreadsheets indicated gaps in system utilisation

Standard document generation lacked flexibility, particularly in PDF naming and formatting

The legacy support partner left critical automation tasks, specifically PDF naming and email triggers, unfinished, resulting in a backlog of manual administrative work and inconsistent, unprofessional document presentation to clients

Business document communication through email was largely manual and inconsistent

Dependency on a third-party tool for expense management created fragmentation in financial processes

The existing support partner lacked responsiveness, leading to delays in resolving issues and completing enhancements

What the Business Needed

At this stage, the organisation required a partner who could provide both stability and improvement.

Ongoing support to manage day-to-day system needs with predictable response times
Enhancement of project accounting and invoicing processes to reduce inefficiencies
Automation of document generation and email workflows
Customisation of PDF naming conventions to align with business requirements
Ability to personalise email subject lines and content for business communication
Replacement of the external expense management tool with native system functionality
Reduction in spreadsheet dependency through better system utilisation
Improved user adoption through practical system improvements

Business Objectives

The organisation aligned on a set of focused objectives to guide the engagement.

Improve efficiency across financial and invoicing processes

Reduce manual effort and dependency on spreadsheets

Enhance the quality and consistency of business document communication

Increase system adoption across finance and operational teams

Establish a reliable and responsive support structure

Streamline processes to align with regulatory and operational requirements

Solutions Proposed by Dynamics Square

Dynamics Square proposed a structured support and enhancement model tailored to the organisation’s needs.

Phase 1: Rescue & Automation

Took over the stalled Business Document Automation project to ensure purchase orders and sales invoices followed a clear, professional, and logically structured naming convention instead of system-generated random strings
Implemented dynamic email body and subject line mapping to ensure customer communications were personalised, consistent, and automatically triggered

Managed Support Services

A flexible support model starting with 100 hours
Clear service-level agreements with defined response times
Transparent and scalable pricing structure
Support designed for both issue resolution and continuous improvement

Process Automation and Enhancements

Development of a custom solution for dynamic PDF document naming
Automation of email triggers linked to document generation
Personalisation of email subject lines and body content
Improved formatting and professionalism in customer-facing communications

System Optimisation

Enhancements to project invoicing workflows to improve efficiency
Improvements in foreign exchange handling to support financial accuracy
Guidance to reduce reliance on spreadsheets by leveraging system capabilities

Expense Management Transformation

Proposal to replace the existing third-party expense tool with native functionality within Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations
Creation of a unified platform for financial and expense management

Compliance and Security Readiness

Completion of GDPR and data protection documentation
Submission of security-related documentation to support internal approval processes
Acceleration of client-side compliance validation

Trust & Compliance: Navigating the CRO Landscape

Operating within the clinical research sector requires more than functional delivery. It demands strict alignment with legal, data protection, and security standards.

To meet the organisation’s internal Legal Operations requirements, Dynamics Square:

Successfully completed detailed Data Protection and Security Questionnaires
Demonstrated alignment with GDPR and data handling standards
Provided clear documentation on data processing, storage, and access controls
Customisation of PDF naming conventions to align with business requirements
Addressed security and compliance concerns raised during vendor evaluation
Ensured transparency across all system interactions and data workflows

This process was critical in securing stakeholder confidence, particularly among senior leadership and legal teams, where compliance validation is often as important as technical capability.

Results and Impact: What This Transformation Means

The engagement is designed to deliver both immediate improvements and long-term benefits.

Improved efficiency in financial and invoicing processes

Significant reduction in manual work and spreadsheet usage

Faster and more consistent business document communication

Enhanced system adoption across teams

Reliable and responsive support experience

Streamlined and automated document workflows

Why This Case Matters and Future Prospects

This case study highlights an important reality. Implementing an ERP system is only the starting point. Real value is realised when the system is aligned with business processes and supported effectively.

In this instance, the organisation recognised that its challenges were not rooted in technology, but in process design, system usage, and support quality. By addressing these areas, it began to unlock the full potential of its existing investment.

The next phase of the journey is already taking shape.

Implementation of timesheet and expense management within the ERP system
Further automation of business processes across finance and operations
Continued reduction of manual dependencies
Ongoing optimisation of reporting and communication workflows

With a scalable support model and a focus on continuous improvement, the organisation is now positioned to build a more efficient and reliable operating environment.

This transformation is a shift from system dependency to system confidence. It shows how the right support partner can help a business not just maintain its systems but improve how they work every day.

Dynamics Square plays a key role in this journey by combining structured support with focused improvements, helping the business move towards more efficient and stable operations.

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